Bouchercon 2006 Draws Mystery Heads

Andi Shechter, Seattle -- Library Journal, 10/18/2006

Some 1200 mystery authors, publishers, agents, dealers, booksellers, librarians, and fans gathered in Madison, WI, September 28 to October 1 for Bouchercon 2006 World Mystery Convention, the genre's oldest and largest annual event. While major houses were well represented by editors and authors, small indie presses like Madison's own Bleak House Books also made their presence known. An especially interesting development was the convention launch of Bloody Brits Press. The brainchild of British crime writer Val McDermid, who is editorial director, and American publisher Kelly Smith, the press will import U.K. crime and thriller writers new to the U.S. market as well as reprints of classics such as McDermid's own Kate Brannigan series. Among the first releases will be Danuta Reah's Bleak Water and Chris Simm's Outside the White Lines.

The development of the Internet as a tool for readers and writers was a constant theme with panels discussing online book groups and the huge growth in author blogs and blogging networks at which several authors band together on one site. One such site garnering attention was "Killer Year", a collective of 14 debut suspense authors, whose first books will appear in 2007. They've teamed up with another relatively new and savvy group, the International Thriller Writers, whose more experienced authors are mentoring the newcomers.

Awards didn't hold many surprises. Perennial favorite Michael Connelly won a Shamus (from the Private Eye Writers of America) and a Macavity (from Mystery Readers International) for The Lincoln Lawyer (Little, Brown). He lost the Anthony (voted on by the Bouchercon membership) for best novel to this year's toastmaster, William Kent Krueger, whose Mercy Falls (Atria) was honored. Newcomers Chris Grabenstein (Tilt-a-Whirl, Carroll & Graf), Brian Freeman (Immoral), Louise Ure (Forcing Amaryllis, Mysterious) received, respectively, an Anthony, a Barry, and a Shamus for best debut novels. Reed Farrel Coleman's, The James Deans (Plume) was a three-time Best Paperback winner, taking home the Shamus, the Anthony, and the Barry (from Deadly Pleasures magazine).